Entering Exalted-Exiting Enraged Series

MARK 11:1-11

ENTERING EXALTED-EXITING ENRAGED

I. THE ENTRANCE: *

A. Extemporaneous.

B. Entitled.

C. Evaluated.

II. THE EXAMINATION: **

A. Encompassing.

B. Eternal.

C. Exacting.

III. THE EXIT: ***

A. Eventide.

B. Exasperated.

C. Extended.

The Triumphal Entry was now over. The crowd had at last recognized Him as the King of all kings as the populous had always seemed to admire Jesus. I do not find where He was shunned by the average person. They seem to flock to Him and to hang onto His every word. However, the same cannot be said about the religious and authoritarian leaders of the old Jewish state. They had taken Him for as long as they could and they were now growing very leery of His growing popularity. They even were voicing their fears, that the whole world was turning towards Him. To stifle this growing shift of the populous towards His favor, meetings were being conducted to have Him silenced one way or the other. Jesus knew this, but He also knew that there was a prophecy which had to be fulfilled before He allowed them to have their way, and that was to ride into the Holy City on a lowly donkey. This is exactly what He did and the people of Jerusalem exploded in their honor of Him. What a parade that city had that day.

From across the breath and width of the city, people came out in droves to hail Him as the Anointed One-the Messiah! How disturbing this event was to the powers-that-be as they stood helplessly by, watching the people adore and honor Jesus. As was the custom of that day, the people cut down palms and along with these they began to lay their clothes, their outer robes, at the feet of the donkey and its Rider, so neither one of them would get their feet dirty. If animals can think and reason, I wonder what this lowly beast of burden must have thought that day. And if it could have had a thought process, I wonder if it thought it was honored to be carrying Someone so important on its back.

As the parade of the Master drew to a close, with the ringing of adulation still in His ears, with the certainty that He had just fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy, Jesus entered His house, the Temple, and He entered into another world. On the outside were shouts of “Hosannas;” on the inside were shouts of “Buy here-we have the cheapest exchange for your money.” On the outside He was proclaimed, “Blessed is the Lamb of God.” On the inside He was badgered with, “Come buy your lamb to sacrifice to God?” On the outside He was cheered with, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the lord.” On the inside He was scorned as coming from the devil. Yet, He stood; He watched; He exited.

By the time He left the Temple, the crowds had dispersed, the robes that were laid at His feet, were taken back by their owners. The streets were almost free of all the palm fronds as they were being blown this way and that way by the wind. The lowly donkey was returned to its owner, tired and bewildered. The crowd had dispersed to its homes, hovels, shanties, for the evening meal. The sun was setting, it was growing dark and the city was getting ready to retire for one more night.

On the inside, the candles were being lit to ward off the lengthening shades of night. The money changers were counting their profits. The animals and birds were being securely bedded down in their pens and cages. The priests were cleaning up the daily sacrifices and themselves. The coolness of the eventide was felt by all and most importantly it was felt by God, whose Spirit was being pushed aside. If there were any people praying still in the Temple area, they were quickly getting up off of their knees and wrapping themselves in their shawls, and making their way to the exits.

The High Priest, if he was there at all, was locking the cabinet that contained the scrolls. The Holy of Holies was being carefully adjusted on its outside, making sure the curtain was hanging just right. People were saying their good-bys and the entire religious system was pleased with itself-it had been a good day-many worshipers, much money changed hands, many animals and birds sold, many sacrifices made and God had to be pleased with their system which ran like an efficient, well oiled machine. This was, after all, the Temple, the home of God on this earth, the place to come to be purified, to have your sins expiated, to have a fresh start, to worship the Most High God who cannot be seen.